On some policies that are worth a read...

In a world where we have become data, I am interested in protecting your privacy and your personal information in the best possible way, and the best way I find is to inform you about how this website uses your data.

This privacy policy explains

  • what information is collected
  • how the information is stored
  • how the information is used

It also provides links to the privacy policies of the organisations that provide the web software used by this website.

What is personal data?

The GDPR applies to “personal data”, i.e. any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified, in particular by means of an identifier.

This definition covers a wide range of personal identifiers to constitute personal data, including name, ID number, location data or online identifier, reflecting changes in technology and the way organisations collect information about individuals.

The GDPR applies to both automated personal data and manual filing systems, where personal data is accessible according to specific criteria. This could include chronologically ordered sets of manual records containing personal data.

What information do I collect?

When you contact me:

Personal data that you provide about yourself (for example, your name and contact details, such as an email address)

when you provide a name and email address when commenting on a blog post or submitting a form. I do not ask you for any other information. What you provide is up to you.

You may disclose information about your business, but it is not personal information, which for GDPR purposes only relates to personal data of individuals.

  • When a third party contacts me on your behalf.
  • Personal data provided by a third party, such as your name, contact details and specific circumstances.
  • When you visit this website or interact with this website or me through social media.
  • Your IP address and your browsing preferences and choices;
  • Your name and username and any comments you make.
  • When you commission me to do work for you.

Your name and email address. I will also ask for your usual email address for my invoice. Depending on the task, I may disclose other information, but this will vary from client to client and will not apply to all. What you disclose is your choice.

How do I collect information?

Your personal information may be collected from a number of sources. These include:

  • From you when you contact or interact with this site by email or when you communicate via social media;
  • From forms you may complete;
  • From public data sources (for example, contact details you have chosen to make public on your website or social media);
  • From organisations/entities you are connected to or affiliated with when they provide me with your information;
  • Through third party services such as Google Analytics (see Google Analytics section) for site statistical purposes only.

Why do I collect it?

In relation to news updates, the information I hold is based on you having given your consent. For example, in relation to news updates, you have provided the email and then verified that it should be stored and used as the basis for processing the blog flow through Mailchimp or EmailOctupus as appropriate, and sending you an email with the news update.

I also collect information for a legitimate interest to ensure I have the correct data in relation to any public information published about you.

Data relating to any business transaction arises from a contractual need, for example, both you and I must comply with obligations set out in suppliers’ terms and conditions or any contracts that may be in place.

How do I use your information?

I process your data in order to:

  • Record any correspondence or products I receive and respond accordingly;
  • Send information relating to news updates;
  • Entering into contracts with customers;
  • Maintain relationships with individuals and organisations and send messages from time to time.

How is it stored?

Your personal data is stored in several ways:
In digital files stored securely within Franco Falistoco’s premises.
If you subscribe to receive news updates, your information will be stored on the Mailchimp provider’s server.

Who do I share your data with?

We may share your data and/or obtain information from certain third parties:
  • My web service in relation to the use of forms and comments on this website and for the management of cookies on this website;
  • Statistical services in relation to understanding website traffic.
  • Social media providers, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, to highlight public news stories.
  • Other organisations where we are required to do so by law or by a public authority.
I am committed to protecting your privacy. 
Under no circumstances do I rent, trade or share your email address without your consent. Occasionally, people ask to contact someone else. Instead of giving them your e-mail address, I inform them that I will forward their request and allow them to decide how to respond.

How do I protect your data?

I take the security of your data very seriously. Your data cannot be accessed by third parties other than those who provide the services listed below.
 
I engage reputable service providers to process your data on my behalf for email correspondence, website and social media purposes. They all have a duty of confidentiality and are legally obliged to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure data security in accordance with applicable law.

How long is your personal information retained?

Nothing is kept indefinitely. Your personal data is kept under review.
  • Correspondence: I periodically delete contacts and associated emails.
  • Blog comments and forms: If the blog comment is not published or the submitted form is meaningless, they are deleted.
  • Spam comments are retained for a period of time before reporting the worst offenders to Google.
 News updates: Emails are stored in Mailchimp. If the email is not verified for this use within one month, it is deleted. You can unsubscribe from this online newsletter at any time.
 
Personal data and business correspondence in connection with all business contracts involving payments are retained for a minimum of six years after the end of the fiscal year.
 
Below I list the third party services with which this website is associated, along with a link to their privacy policy:

COOKIES

If you live in the EU, you will always be notified via a cookie banner notice that cookies are used on this site as soon as you arrive on the site.
 
Whether or not you receive a cookie depends on your browser settings, which only you control.
 
Many websites, including this one, send you cookies when you visit the site to collect data to track traffic flows. A cookie is a small amount of data, often including a unique identifier, that is sent to your computer browser or other device from a website’s computer and stored on your device’s hard drive.
 
Cookies record information about the location of your IP provider, technical data about your computer, and data about the pages you view on this website and how they were accessed.

Types of cookies:

First party cookies: these are used to provide the basic functionality of our service, including authentication and security, configuration and support.
 
Third-party cookies: used to enable certain analytics and tracking tools, as well as interest-based advertising and chat functionality.
 
Session cookies: used to enable certain analytics and tracking tools, interest-based advertising, as well as application settings, monitoring tools, to pin the user’s session to a specific server and to prevent cross-site request forgery attacks.
 
Persistent cookies: provide the functionality of first-party cookies and third-party cookies in sessions.

Why do I use software that uses cookies?

Cookie data helps me understand which pages are most popular and how someone came to the site, for example, from an art forum or through a Google search. It also lets me know in what format most people view pages, which in turn helps me prioritise the design and accessibility of this website.
 

Statistical data

You are also assured of the privacy of data collected for statistical purposes; however, I rely on the privacy policies of third parties in this regard.

All statistical data collected through this site is initially collected, stored and analysed by third parties.

Google Analytics stores information about:

  • the pages you visit on this website and the time spent on each page;
  • how you arrived at the site;
  • what you click on while visiting the site;
  • the location that generates the visit (in general terms, for example, a city);
  • Your personal information (e.g., your name or address) is not stored, so this information cannot be used to identify your identity. Google is also not allowed to use or share analytics data.
  • I may download some data to my own computer. All data collected is anonymous and is collected solely for statistical purposes, to improve the service offered and is not used to identify individuals.

Contact information

Franco Falistoco A. (yes, that’s me, the author of this website) if you have any queries, please get in touch by writing from HERE.

Thank you.